'Dredd' Producer Confirms That 'Dredd 2' Is Going To Happen, But It Might Not Be What You Want

"Zombies, exploding heads...creepy-crawlies and a date for the formal - This is classic, Spanky." Wah-hoo-wah! Twitter: @Scodonnell1

While Sylvester Stallone’s 1995 version of Judge Dredd may be considered a cult-classic, it was not the most faithful adaptation of the comic. It was packed with over-the-top goofiness, Rob Schneider, and Stallone refusing to cover his face. The release of Dredd in 2012 would mark a resurgence for the character, and its star, Karl Urban, was the perfect embodiment of what Judge Dredd should be.

Watch the first trailer for Dredd below:

#Dredd opened to stellar reviews, and fans quickly began singing its praise. However, Dredd was considered a box office flop, and lost nearly $10 million at the box office. The poor box office was heartbreaking to fans, and truly a pity, because it is awesome film. Much like Disney’s John Carter, Dredd suffered from poor marketing and lackluster trailers. There seemed to be no hope for a sequel; however, things would change for Dredd afterit was released on home video.

Dredd's Success

Dredd [Credit: Lionsgate]

Word-of-mouth suggestions and fan appreciation helped earn Dredd another $19 million from home video sales. The fans had spoken to Hollywood in a language it understood: money. Fans wanted to see more of the Dredd universe, and continue the saga of Judge Dredd.

Rumors of a sequel to Dredd began swirling around the internet; however, it still seemed highly unlikely. Everyone involved with the film had spoken out about how they would love to do a second one, fans started petitions, but they just couldn’t get the studio to back them. Everything changed in June 2016, when Karl Urban confirmed that Dredd 2 was in development — but since then, news has been thin on the ground.

The Future Of 'Dredd 2'

Dredd [Credit: Lionsgate]

In a recent interview with Collider, Dredd producer Adi Shankar confirmed that a sequel is definitely going to happen, one way or another:

“If anyone is still wondering, there’s no update on a Dredd sequel, but I’m gonna make it happen at some point. It may not be live-action, but it’s going to happen at some point. There will be more Judge Dredd at some point.”

Shankar’s choice of words is telling; the repetition of the phrase “at some point” leaves me to believe there is no plan for a sequel – even though he really wants it to happen. Shankar sounds like he truly wants to see Dredd 2 as much as the fans, but he is fighting against the current. It seems more likely at this point, Plan A is an animated sequel – which is both good and bad news for fans.

It is a good thing, because we get a continuation of the story and more of Judge Dredd. Animated action scenes do not have the same financial restraints as live action, and without these limitations, the movie could tackle more interesting storylines that would otherwise be ruled out in a live-action film. But it's bad news too, because it is not what we really want to see – animation is more of a nerd consolation prize, as fans of Constantine recently learned.

Dredd's source material really lends itself more to a television series rather than a film. A streaming service like Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon would be a perfect place for the continuation of Dredd. Karl Urban has already tweeted that he loves the idea, and it would be an absolute perfect fit. Netflix has breathed life into several franchises already, and Dredd would definitely be in their wheelhouse.

When it comes down to it, sometimes as fans we can feel a bit entitled. Sure, we don’t need a #Dredd2, but we would really appreciate a continuation of the story we were presented in Dredd. There are tons of stories from the comics they could use, and Karl Urban is down to reprise the role. If they do an animated version, I’m not sure if Urban would do the voice, but it would bet a lot better if he did.

Given the choice, I would prefer a Judge Dredd Netflix series, but an animated sequel would be better than nothing at all. At this point, anything is a possibility, but hopes for a live-action sequel seem like a pipe-dream. Make sure you check back in with MoviePilot, to get all the latest news on Dredd and much more!